Sunburst Shutters leads the way in adapting to the new-normal

Sunburst Shutters has always prided themselves on their “white glove” service. Excellent customer experience is their focus, taking care of the customer from the first interaction to the final purchase. After a customer expresses interest, Sunburst Shutters sends a design consultant to visit the customer’s home for an initial consultation. The design consultant takes all of the measurements that they need, goes over the various window covering options, and comes back to install the product when the materials are ready.

Yet when COVID-19 hit, Sunburst Shutters was forced to rethink their entire customer experience. The marketing team at Sunburst Shutters knew that the company needed a tool that would allow them to maintain their high quality of service while keeping their employees and customers safe. Webchat and business texting were the answers they were looking for. 

Sunburst Shutters has been using Birdeye since 2019 and has collected over 2,500 reviews with a 4.9 average star rating. But once the coronavirus hit, all of the other Birdeye features seemed to triple in value overnight. Tools that were once seen as nice perks suddenly became absolute necessities.

Webchat has been instrumental in Sunburst Shutters’ continued business during COVID-19. New leads can effortlessly connect to the team through a simple chat window, and team members can respond at their earliest convenience. Webchat is a foot in the door, connecting the Sunburst Shutters team to new leads, even during this uncertain time we are living in. 

The convenience of Webchat also saves customers so much time, according to the marketing team. Now customers and team members don’t need to go back and forth over email or play phone tag. Instead, customers get the answers that they need right away. This open line of communication helps Sunburst Shutters maintain the fantastic level of customer service they pride themselves on.

Once COVID-19 hit, the Sunburst Shutters marketing team needed to figure out a tool for them to use to continue business as usual...well, as usual as these unusual times would allow. Business texting was a great opportunity for that. While Zoom consultations are available, the team admits that not many customers like to be on camera. Instead, they prefer to text their questions directly to the Sunburst Shutters employee. 

While in-person consultations are generally preferred by the staff, the Sunburst Shutters team is also able to maintain high-quality service through the convenience of a mobile device. Many customers are limiting their social interactions as much as possible, and the option to communicate through text and Webchat has helped the team keep up business. Through Webchat and business texting the team can conduct the initial consultation, send pictures of shutter options, receive pictures from customers, and finalize the purchase. For in-person consultations and the installation process, the team comes prepared with masks, hand sanitizer, and proper social distancing. Webchat and business texting have helped the team adjust to these unprecedented circumstances to assure that they can continue their white glove service, even in the midst of a pandemic. 

The Sunburst Shutters marketing team has always seen the value in creating more digital customer experiences. But, because Sunburst Shutters runs on various small teams spread out across North America, it wasn’t easy to get everyone on the same page. While many teams saw the value in going digital, they also thought it would be difficult, time-consuming, and a waste of their resources. In fact, before using Birdeye, the team tried five different software solutions. Each one failed to work for their business. Either the software was too technical, too frustrating, or nearly impossible to teach to the entire company.  

But as the team says, Birdeye is “turn-key.” Getting Birdeye integrated with their current systems has been a breeze. The ease of implementation helped the team to adapt quickly, and now teams are using Birdeye across all locations. 

Sunburst Shutters has proven how businesses can adjust to “the new normal.” While nobody is entirely sure what business will look like a year from now, all businesses will need to remain flexible to stand the test of time. In-person customer service is still a cornerstone for Sunburst Shutters, but they have proven that you can maintain a fantastic customer experience in the digital world as well. 

Sunburst Shutters’ success is a shining example that, with a dedicated leader, the right team, and the proper tools, businesses can adapt to changing circumstances.